Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 24

Dharmopadeśa-Śānti: Rules of Impurity, Expiations, and Ancestor Rites

Devanagari script

स्वश्रृगालप्लवङ्गाद्यैर्मानुषैश्च रतिं विना । स्पृष्टः स्त्रात्वा शुचिः सद्यो दिवा संध्यासु रात्रिषु ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

svaśrṛgālaplavaṅgādyairmānuṣaiśca ratiṃ vinā | spṛṣṭaḥ strātvā śuciḥ sadyo divā saṃdhyāsu rātriṣu || 24 ||

Translation

కుక్క, నక్క, కోతి మొదలైనవాటిచేత గాని, లేదా మనిషిచేత గాని (కామసంబంధం లేకుండా) స్పర్శించబడితే, స్నానం చేసిన వెంటనే శుచిగా అవుతాడు—పగలు, సంధ్యాకాలాల్లో, రాత్రిలోనూ।

Word by Word

• स्व-शृगाल-प्लवङ्ग-आद्यैः: by one’s jackal/monkey etc. (animals)
• स्व-शृगाल-प्लवङ्ग-आद्यैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शृगाल (प्रातिपदिक) + प्लवङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (स्वशृगालप्लवङ्गादि ‘one’s jackal/monkey etc.’)

• मानुषैः: by humans
• मानुषैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• रतिम्: sexual intercourse/pleasure
• रतिम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विना: without
• विना: सम्बन्ध (Relation/Exclusion)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपपद (preposition) governing द्वितीया

• स्पृष्टः: touched
• स्पृष्टः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्पृष्ट (कृदन्त; √स्पृश्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृदन्तः—क्त (PPP)

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: पूर्वकाल (Pūrvakāla)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund)

• शुचिः: pure/clean
• शुचिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सद्यः: immediately
• सद्यः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सद्यः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• दिवा: by day
• दिवा: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Time locus)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (by day)

• संध्यासु: at the twilight times
• संध्यासु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Time locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• रात्रिषु: during nights
• रात्रिषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Time locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It frames physical cleanliness (śauca) as a dharmic discipline: when impurity is incurred by touch, prompt bathing restores ritual fitness for japa, pūjā, and sandhyā practices.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

Bhakti is supported by right conduct: maintaining purity through timely snāna helps a devotee remain eligible for daily worship and remembrance, preventing negligence in devotional duties.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa/ācāra (ritual procedure) is implied: the verse gives an operational rule—after such touch, snāna is the immediate expiation, applicable across day, sandhyā times, and night.